Family Relationships Magazinehttps://familyrelationships.org.uk
News and resources for the modern familyFri, 07 Jun 2019 13:21:45 +0000en-US
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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.2.3CBeebies Christmas Show 2018 announced as Thumbelina: recording, cinema and TV detailshttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/cbeebies-christmas-show-2018-thumbelina-recording-cinema-tv-details
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 12:21:12 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3490The CBeebies Christmas Show/Pantomime is a much-anticipated part of many young families’ year, with September generally marking the time when the BBC announces which venues will be used for the live recordings.

In previous years, the BBC has operated a ticket ballot system, with growing demand year-on-year, and with tickets often being over-allocated so as to ensure a particular theatre is full to capacity when filming takes place.

Possibly in response to some criticism of this system, this year the CBeebies Christmas Show will have tickets for sale, meaning that once you have secured a ticket, you’re guaranteed a place in the theatre venue, notwithstanding any unexpected circumstances causing the show to be cancelled.

For the first time this year, the BBC has struck a deal with various cinemas to screen the final version of the show, and including additional exclusive content to create an “event” experience. As always, the show will be screened over the Christmas period on CBeebies and the BBC iPlayer.

Thumbelina

The classic tale of Thumbelina is told by much-loved CBeebies characters including Justin Fletcher, Maddie Moate, Andy Day and Cat Sandion.

Venues & Dates

The venue for Thumbelina is the Regent Theatre in Stoke, with recordings taking place at 1pm and 4:30pm on both Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th November. The theatre has a capacity of 1,700 seats, though not all will be used for each performance.

A dress rehearsal will take place on Friday 2nd November, with free tickets being made available to local groups and charities.

Selected cinemas will show the final recording of Thumbelina from Saturday 15th December.

Thumbelina will be first shown on CBeebies on Saturday 15th December.

Ticket Costs

Tickets for the theatre recordings cost £10 per adult, and $5 per child, with a limit of six tickets per booking. There’s a £1.95 booking fee through the independent ticket vendor ATG.

Cost of cinema tickets to be confirmed.

Ticket Availability

Tickets will go on sale in two batches.

Batch 1 – half the tickets – will go on general sale at 9am on Friday 21st September.

Batch 2 – the other half – will go on general sale at 9am on Friday 28th September.

More theatre tickets may become available closer to the event, once stage plans become closer to being finalised, though this is not guaranteed.

Charging for Tickets

The BBC explains why they have chosen to charge for tickets this year, rather than maintaining the ballot system:

“The CBeebies Christmas Show is a hugely popular event and demand for tickets far outweighs what is available. By charging for tickets this year it allows us to put on more performances, making the experience available to substantially more people. It also means that, unlike previous years, all ticket holders are guaranteed entry.”

It’s clear that demand continued to rise each year since 2014, making the previous system unsustainable:

]]>Making life insurance more affordable for parentshttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/making-life-insurance-more-affordable-for-parents
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 11:13:54 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3483The average cost of raising a single child in the UK is estimated to be £231,843 over the course of the first 21 years.

Factor in all of the other daily outgoings we incur and it is no wonder most parents consider themselves unable to afford life insurance.

Now give some thought to what might happen to your dependants if you or your partner were no longer around.

(I know this is a truly horrible situation to consider and that is probably why over half of parents don’t have any life cover).

How would you cover the cost of raising your family, maintain their standard of living and continue to pay your mortgage repayments?

Life insurance from around 20p-a-day can provide a reassuring safety net to cover all these expenses if the worst were to happen.

Life cover is probably much cheaper than you think

The good news is that life insurance is probably much more affordable than you think.

What’s more, there are actually a number of ways you can help keep the cost of your premiums to a minimum.

Here are our top 5 tips for making life insurance more affordable…

1) Don’t take out more cover than you need

When taking out life insurance it can be tempting to opt for the highest level of cover possible. The issue being, the more cover you take out, the higher your monthly premiums.

The amount of cover you need depends on what it is you are looking to protect. Think about how much is left on your mortgage, how long until your children are financially independent and your daily living costs.

To ensure you are not paying for more cover than you need, work out exactly what it is you are looking to protect and select your payout amount accordingly.

The length of the cover term also an effect on the price of your policy. The longer the term, the more likely a claim and thus the higher the premium.

It is common for a policy term to mirror that of your mortgage term or last until the children have left home.

2) Take out cover as young as possible

Life insurance cover for a 25-year-old can cost as little as £6 a month. This is simply because statistically, the insurer is far less likely to have to pay out during the term of the policy.

Therefore, the younger you are when you take out cover, the cheaper your monthly premiums are likely to be. Why not take out cover in your 20s or early 30s and lock in those low long-term premiums?

It can be tempting to avoid taking out life insurance at a younger age due to good health and a long life expectancy, but putting it off could end up costing you more in the long run.

3) Consider a joint policy

Paying for one joint life insurance monthly premium, generally speaking, is significantly cheaper than paying for two single policies.

If you are in a relationship and looking to provide support for one another, taking out a joint life cover policy could save you money each month.

However, it is worth noting that joint life insurance will only ever offer one payout, usually upon the first death. Therefore, depending on what it is you are looking to protect a single payout may not be sufficient.

4) Live a healthy lifestyle

Premiums are calculated taking into account a number of personal factors including your BMI, medical well-being, alcohol consumption and smoking status.

Whilst certain medical ailments cannot be avoided, you can control your weight, how much you drink and whether you smoke.

Improving your lifestyle can help keep premiums low.

5) Avoid dangerous activities

Admittedly, walking down the street can be dangerous enough, but there are certain activities which are considered a higher risk than an outing to the local shop.

The increased risk of death associated with these sports is mitigated through the insurer by charging you more.

In summary

As you can see, there are a number of things you can control to make life insurance more affordable, whilst securing the financial future of your family.

Once you have taken on board all of our above tips, the best way to secure the cheapest possible premium is to compare multiple quotes.

You can invest time yourself researching different quotes online or use a comparison website. However, the research takes time and comparison sites rarely compare all the main insurers.

An alternative is to use an FCA registered broker, saving you time and money by doing the hard work for you.

]]>Rock Hiding: How to join in with the latest family-friendly crazehttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/rock-hiding-how-to-join-in-with-the-latest-family-friendly-craze
Thu, 12 Apr 2018 14:47:32 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3463What is rock hiding?

Quite simply, rock hiding is the placing of decorated rocks around a local area for others to find.

Ordinary, natural rocks are found in the natural environment, or alternatively bought, then decorated with paints, pens, chalks, glitter, or other materials. Finally, a protective varnish glaze is added to preserve the artwork and prevent it from coming off when found.

When did the rock hiding craze begin?

There doesn’t seem to be an exact date when the latest craze began, and indeed decorating rocks in itself is nothing new.

However, around the summer of 2018 is when we first noticed local groups in the UK springing up to facilitate decorating, hiding, recording rocks and stones.

What is rock painting/rock hiding?

Rock painting and hiding is a free, fun, family-friendly, community activity designed to bring out the artist in anyone, using freely or cheaply available materials. It’s a game of rock hide and seek anyone can play.

Anyone can take part in any or all aspects of the ‘game’, from painting and decorating rocks, to hiding them, finding them, photographing and sharing them online, and hiding them for others to find.

Many local areas have online groups where people can show off the rocks they have created, hidden, found and re-hidden. That said, there are no geographic boundaries, and it’s common for people to find rocks from one area in another miles, countries or even continents away.

How can I start rock painting/hiding?

The beauty of rock painting and hiding is that it’s so simple to get started.

In fact, many people start almost before they’ve realised, by finding a painted rock somewhere while out and about, seeing some writing on the back which directs them to an online group (often on Facebook), being curious and then getting hooked!

You can play the game without creating a thing, simply by hunting around you for decorated rocks and stones, photographing them, posting them online. then hiding them again for someone else to find.

If you decide you’d like to have a go at creating rocks, you only need a few materials – a rock (obviously), plus suitable paints, pens or other ways of marking the rock, and then some sealant to protect the artwork and stop the paints and inks coming off on the hands of anyone who finds it.

The next two sections will help you gather the materials you need and explain the five stages of the rock painting/hiding lifecycle.

The five stages of rock painting and hiding

1. Find your rocks

The concept has always been to use natural rocks found in public spaces as the basis for painting artwork on.

To begin with, simply hunt around public spaces such as footpaths, parks, river banks and the like to find reasonably sized stones and rocks on which to paint.

It’s illegal to take stones and rocks from the beach in the UK. Don’t take items from cemeteries as they may be memorials. Don’t take items from private property, or where the rocks are obviously being used for an important purpose, such as protecting paths and roads from landslips.

Check the laws in your own country to be sure you’re not taking rocks from places they shouldn’t be moved from.

It’s also possible to buy bags of rocks in certain DIY stores, builder’s merchants, even pet shops. They can also be bought online but do factor in the cost of delivery — rocks are HEAVY!

Buying rocks tends to be the best option if you really get into rock painting/hiding, or if you’re organising a community painting event.

Whichever you choose, make sure the rock is a solid one, and then give it a clean.

Some chunks of material which look like rock are in fact made up of old building materials, or other naturally occurring elements which are just not strong enough. If you can break or chip the rock with your hands or with just a gentle tap, it is unlikely to survive for long.

Wash the rocks – a garden hose spray is perfectly adequate to clean off any mud and muck so you have a nice clean surface to begin working on. Make sure they are nice and dry before decorating.

2. Decorate your rocks

Rocks can be decorated with most materials, but those more permanent in nature, and designed for outdoor use, tend to be best.

Seasoned rock painters have their own favourites, which can include masonry paint, acrylic paint, Sharpies, Posca paint pens, chalk, glitter glue, and more.

There are no rules as to how to decorate your rocks, although as this is seen as a family and child-friendly activity, it would be best not to paint anything too rude or risqué. Everyone’s tastes differ, but popular rocks often feature bright colours, hearts, butterflies, flowers, creatures, inspirational messages, geometric patterns, dots, or endorsements of certain causes/charities.

The main thing is to enjoy being creative. It really doesn’t matter if you don’t consider yourself to be artistic – everyone from 3 to 103 can paint or scribble on a rock!

The experience of actually painting on a rock will vary depending on how smooth it is. Very smooth stones, such as those which have been gently polished in a stream, may be easier to draw and paint on, particularly with markers, but the paint or ink may not adhere quite as well. Nobbly/pitted rocks can make painting and drawing feel like a bit of a roller-coaster.

Slightly rough stones can be made to look and feel a bit smoother by applying one or more base coats of an acrylic or other exterior paint first, paying attention to fill in any holes.

If you’re going to use Sharpie or other markers, it’s worth applying a base coat of one or more paints (preferably lighter colours or white) to make your artwork zing and pop out more.

3. Seal your rocks

Sealing a painted rock is vital if it’s going to spend any time out in the wild.

Not only does it protect the artwork itself, but it protects the hands, clothes and furniture of anyone who finds your rock.

Stones sitting outside will be subjected to the elements, which certainly in the UK will include significant amounts of rain, wind, possible salt spray when near the coast.

For this reason, using a varnish or other sealant specifically designed for external protection is a must.

Experienced rock painters swear by yacht varnish as the pinnacle of sealants.

Others use spray sealants.

Most definitely DO NOT use PVA. It sounds as if it should work, and even looks OK when first applied, but it won’t hold up when outside. (Think about what PVA glue does on your hands when dry – fun but not protective).

Here are some of the options which can be used as a sealant, with pros and cons:

Tinned Yacht Varnish

Advantages

Relatively inexpensive

Quick to apply

Generally needs only one, possibly two coats

Gives a glossy shine (if you like this)

Disadvantages

Takes a long time to dry

Smells very strong and must be used in a ventilated area

Can be messy

Requires good cleaning care of brushes used, or a supply of replaceable foam rollers etc.

Spray Yacht Varnish

Advantages

Quick to apply

Dries quickly

Gives a fairly glossy finish (if you like this)

Disadvantages

Slightly more expensive

Smells quite strong and must be used in a ventilated area

Not easy to use on windy days

Can be hard to tell if rock has been completely covered.

Spray Acrylic Varnish

Advantages

Quick to apply

Dries quickly

Doesn’t smell so strong

Disadvantages

More expensive

Lack of a significant shine/gloss can make it seem as if the rock hasn’t been sealed.

4. Hide your rocks

Unless you can’t bear to part with your rock once you’ve decorated it, the next step is to hide it somewhere in the great outdoors for someone else to find.

You can hide your rock pretty much anywhere, so long as you use common sense and don’t break any laws.

Stay on public land unless you have the permission of a land or property owner to hide a rock.

Don’t put rocks high up, in the middle of paths or steps, or anywhere else they could pose a hazard to anyone walking by or trying to collect them.

Putting rocks in higher traffic areas, particularly where there are already many people hiding and finding rocks, gives a greater chance of your rock continuing its journey with someone else. Think about school runs, parks, shopping centres and town centres.

5. Find other people’s rocks

If you want to hunt for other people’s painted rocks, try going to popular places in your town or county, or further afield. As stated above, this can be popular venues, outdoor spaces, school runs and town centres.

When you’re lucky enough to find a rock, take a photo of it and post it to the relevant group’s online page (you may have to search and request to join the page if this is the first rock you’ve found from a particular area).

Don’t assume just because you find a rock in a town or county that it originated from there. Take a look on the back for clues as to its origin. Many rocks have the name of the group which it ‘belongs’ to.

Once you’ve found a rock, it’s good etiquette to hide it again as soon as you can. If you really love a rock and want to keep it, generally that’s OK, but consider replacing it with one or more of your own creations.

If you find a large number of rocks in an area, that most likely means it’s a popular area for rock hunting. Etiquette suggests that you should re-hide the majority of the rocks you’ve just found in the same area. Many parents now take their kids to particular areas specifically to hide and seek rocks, so don’t spoil things by removing a whole load.

What materials do I need to start rock painting and hiding?

Rock decorating and hunting doesn’t need to be an expensive hobby, which is one reason why it’s so popular with families. Here’s a list of things you might need, and where to get them.

Rocks and stones

Find rocks in your local area (bearing in mind the guidelines above) or buy them in local hardware stores, builders merchants, DIY, garden centres or pet shops.

Rocks can be any size, but as guidance think about stones which can fit comfortably in the palm of the hand.

If buying stones online, be sure of what you’re buying. Don’t purchase imitation stones, as the general idea is to use natural stone/rock that you’d likely find outdoors.

Very small stones may be difficult to decorate and write enough information on the back, and hard to spot when hidden.

Very large stones may prove a hazard to smaller children trying to handle them due to their size and weight.

Art materials

Which art materials can be used is up to personal choice, but many people prefer using acrylic paints, Sharpie pens, Posca paint pens, chalk, and glitter glue.

Acrylic paint can be bought fairly cheaply in a number of value/’pound’ style shops in any town, as can Sharpie pens (or own brand equivalents). Look out for deals on packs of paints and pens.

Posca paint pens can also be bought in some stores, although they are generally a Japanese import and it can be easier to buy them online from a reseller, or even have them imported if you don’t mind waiting. Again, look out for deals.

Chalk, glitter glue and other art materials can be bought in most home and craft stores.

For base coats of paint, any external acrylic paint will do well. It may be easier and less messy to use a water-based acrylic paint, as it makes cleaning up easier. Paints in a variety of colours should be available from most hardware/DIY stores.

Sealant/varnish

A very important part of the process is the sealant.

Yacht varnish in tins can be picked up from most hardware stores, home stores and the like. You’ll need to consider what types of brush or roller to use with it, and you’ll also need white spirit or other form of brush cleaner when you’ve finished varnishing.

Spray yacht varnish is available in home and DIY stores and online.

Acrylic varnish spray is available in art stores and online.

Camera and Internet access

So you can join in with the local online rock hiding group, you’ll need some kind of camera and the ability to upload photos to the group.

Any modest camera will do, be it in your mobile phone, tablet, or a digital compact or DSLR camera.

It’s up to you whether you want to take photos of the rocks in situ where you found them, with you or your children in shot, or with clues as to where you’ve re-hidden them.

The main thing is to get a decent picture of the rock on to the relevant online group so there’s a better chance of the rock’s creator seeing it on its travels.

Where can I find rock hiding groups near me?

Do an Internet or Facebook search for something like “[town] rocks” for starters and see what comes up.

Not every area may have a group, but they are springing up all the time.

Below is a list of the ones we’ve found. Do contact us if you run one that isn’t mentioned here.

United States

Alabama

Florida

New Hampshire

Tennessee

Is rock hiding and rock painting just for children?

It’s true that many kids love creating, hiding and finding rocks, but it’s a great activity for anyone to get more creative, more exercise, more fresh air, and more community spirited. Try it!

Is rock painting and hiding expensive?

It doesn’t have to be.

Rocks are free if you know where to look.

Paints and pens are relatively inexpensive.

Sealant can be bought fairly cheaply and lasts a long time.

You may choose to spend more on materials if you get bitten by the bug, but generally it’s a cost-effective hobby with plenty of benefits.

How to stay safe when rock painting

Always supervise children when using paints, and avoid having them doing anything with volatile paints or varnishes.

Use varnishes in a well-ventilated area and keep kids and pets away from the rocks while they dry.

How to stay safe when rock hiding

Observe normal common-sense when out and about, just as you always would.

Don’t try to collect rocks which are inaccessible, on private land, or otherwise in dangerous places.

Don’t hide rocks in daft, private, or dangerous places.

What should I remember to keep rock hiding fun for everyone?

There is no way to force people to take part in the rock hiding/finding game, so everyone needs to remember that as soon as they release their rocks into the wild, they may never see them again.

Hopefully, they will, but there are already hundreds, maybe thousands, of rocks which have disappeared into the great outdoors and have not been seen again… yet.

If you create a rock which you love so much you can’t part with, keep it.

If you find lots of rocks in one place, by all means take photos, but don’t remove or keep them all for yourself. Share the love.

If you find a rock you love, you can keep it, but it’s good etiquette to create one or more of your own to hide to take its place.

Don’t be a pain on online rock hunting groups. Don’t break their rules or do things you’ve been asked not to. Be a friendly, considerate person.

Don’t post photos of other people’s kids etc. online without their permission.

Is rock hiding illegal?

There have been erroneous reports circulating that the pastime of rock hiding is illegal or unlawful.

This is not directly true, however the usual laws and bylaws of a country or region need to be observed when participating in this activity.

Some councils have expressed concern that the rocks are being misused, or are being placed in such a way as to create a hazard to other people.

Sadly, there are people who wish to spoil innocent activities for others, and will use any found objects to vandalise property or otherwise cause problems. This isn’t specific to rock-hiding, but it’s worth bearing in mind.

One of the most important things to remember is to seal rocks properly so the paint or ink is not easily washed or rubbed off, either accidentally or on purpose.

So it is with tablets, be they iPads, Android devices, Kindles or other models. The hardware itself isn’t that cheap, but you’ve invested in it so your child gets to grips with new technology, and is entertained and educated with the same systems they are, or will be, using at school.

Cash is now a little in short supply, but you’d like to furnish the shiny new tablet with a good selection of wholesome games and educational titles.

You’ve locked down the device as much as possible, disallowing direct access to the web (or perhaps only giving access to a few carefully selected web sites) and ensuring they can’t download new apps or purchase in-app add-ons from the app store.

You do a bit of research into the best free apps available for your device, download and install them, and let your child loose on their new toy.

Time to relax?

Not quite.

What you may have overlooked is advertising. No longer confined to the TV, radio, print media and web sites, it’s now an integral part of many apps.

The reason is clear and completely understandable: software developers generally want some kind of return for the time and money invested in creating and maintaining their apps. Most are not doing this for solely altruistic reasons, so finding a money-making method is of keen interest.

Some developers set a price for their apps, which a consumer pays to the app store before downloading the app. This works well enough, but is a one-off payment and, given that so many people are looking for free software, it potentially limits a developer’s income.

Others may offer their app, free or not, and include in-game add-ons—such as special skills, hints, bonuses, faster progress through the game—which can be purchased directly through the app. Most parents block the ability to automatically make this kind of purchase.

Many offer their apps completely free, but choose to sign up with an advertising network who will show ads at various points throughout the game. Here we have the potential danger.

While adverts on TV, radio and even the web are fairly limited in how often they appear (for the average viewer/listener/surfer at least), such restrictions seem rarely to apply in apps.

In addition—at least in the UK—there are quite stringent controls on what can be advertised in media aimed specifically at children, such as commercial kids TV channels.

Again, this is often not the case with apps, particularly if it’s not directly aimed at children.

There are many games which are perfectly fine for children to play. Recreational puzzle games can prove to be an excellent source of education and learning. The trouble is, if they’re not intended solely for children to play, the advertising may be inappropriate.

As an example, we recently noticed our eldest daughter becoming quite upset about guns and war. As far as we were aware, she hadn’t seen anything on the news (we’re very careful about what news she sees), hadn’t watched any age-inappropriate videos or TV, wasn’t learning about any kind of conflict in school lessons, and didn’t seem to have been gossiping with her friends about any such subject.

Yet the feelings were still there.

It wasn’t until we took a look at the game she was playing—one of those block-matching puzzles which seem perpetually popular—that we realised there was a video advert for some kind of war role-playing game being shown between every single level she competed. In the space of half-an-hour she may have seen that same set of images a dozen times or more!

Other ads could well have been for gambling and inappropriate age-rated games.

When she played the game in question without an Internet connection the ads didn’t show. Unfortunately, switching off the Internet isn’t always an option as some games won’t work properly, if at all, without it.

I don’t blame the developers. It would be hypocritical of me to call for an outright ban on this kind of advertising, given that some of my income comes from advertising revenue.

The difference is in the content and frequency of those ads being shown. Some apps designed exclusively for children, such as educational apps, also include ads. Though more appropriate for a child to view, the number of times they can appear seems unlimited.

Another issue is the difficulty of ‘dismissing’ the ads when shown. The “X” or other close buttons are extremely small and can lead to unintentional tapping on the ad itself. I do think this needs to be changed, as it feels a little disingenuous to make it so hard to exit an ad.

Conclusion

I don’t have a definitive answer to this problem, but I wanted to make other parents aware of this issue, which may well be slightly more covert than other threats.

Keeping eye on what media is being served up alongside an otherwise innocuous app is very important, particularly for younger or sensitive children.

Some free apps offer a ‘remove ads’ option in return for a modest recurring fee. This may be a good option if you find an app you really like, and you should be able to cancel the payment at any time if you no longer use the app, or indeed for any reason.

Apps from public-service organisations (the BBC for example) are unlikely to contain commercial advertising, although they may still market other apps from the same developer.

Switching off the Internet connection on the device often stops ads from appearing, but may also remove certain functionality or stop the app working altogether.

Developers deserve monetary reward for their efforts, but more needs to be done to limit the scope, frequency and invasiveness of the ads used. Much of this comes down to the advertising networks themselves.

What do you think? Is this something you were already aware of? Has it affected the choice of apps you’ll allow your child to use?

]]>Teachers2Parents SMS: How to mess up a service in one movehttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/teachers2parents-sms-how-to-mess-up-a-service-in-one-move
Thu, 22 Mar 2018 09:19:02 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3453It’s now very common for schools to use text messaging to relay important messages to parents.

There are many advantages to this. Most parents have some form of mobile phone capable of receiving messages. It’s more timely and environmentally-friendly than sending printed letters, particularly if something has to be changed quickly. Not everyone has access to a tablet or phone capable of running an app or receiving email, while relaying messages via phone or trusting the pupils to remember details is impractical.

One service which allows schools to forget about the technicalities of operating such a text service is Teachers2Parents, a brand name of EduSpot.

Teachers or administrators at the school have a way to easily send messages to the all parents, or a subset, either immediately or at a scheduled time.

Teachers2Parents claims to be the UK market leader in this technology, with over 10,000 schools signed up already.

For the few years I’ve been receiving text messages from the two local schools my kids attend, there’s been no problem. The messages arrive with the name of the sender rather than a seemingly random mobile number, which makes it easy to file the messages into conversations for reference/archive.

That is, until about a month ago.

Something odd started happening when I received messages from mobile phone numbers I’d never seen before. When I looked at the messages, they began with the name of the school (which used to be the Sender ID), a weird “short URL” web link (which doesn’t work), and then the message.

No biggie in itself, you might think, until I then realised that subsequent messages were coming from different mobile numbers.

After a while, some of those seemingly random numbers started repeating. Only some of those repeats were for the other school.

In effect, my phone was now constructing several conversation threads based on the phone number they’d come from, but with messages from both schools in every thread.

This came to a head when I ‘lost’ a message about a snow day relating to the infant school because it had effectively been buried in a flurry of messages from the junior school — at least until late in the evening when I decided to search through all the messages received that day.

After emailing EduSpot, I received a response suggesting that this was a planned change. Indeed, messages are sent from “various UK numbers” that are “unique to each message” (well, until they repeat, that is).

Rather unhelpfully, they then effectively pass the buck to the schools themselves, by suggesting I “[contact] the school directly about any questions you may have regarding the messages you are receiving.”

The problem with this is that the schools aren’t doing anything differently, and have no control over how the messages are sent.

This is less of an issue for parents with children at a single school (or where only one school uses the Teachers2Parents service) but even then, messages come from at least five different numbers (probably more).

No explanation has been given as to why this change has been made. I can’t think it’s down to cost as my research suggests there’s no additional cost to using a Sender ID.

It’s possible some schools have requested the ability for parents to reply to messages — something which isn’t possible for messages sent with a Sender ID. However, a seemingly random pool of mobile numbers isn’t going to help with getting parents’ messages back to the school. In any case, most school messages don’t warrant a text response, and there are better ways for schools to get responses from parents should they want them.

This feels like a real step backwards from a service which seems to pride itself on its market leading position.

Thankfully I’ll only have to put up with the more annoying aspects of this change for another four months, before my kids are both in the same school. I’ll still end up receiving messages from multiple numbers though, which my tidy side really hates.

Or maybe, just maybe, EduSpot will realise this was a retrograde step and reinstate sender IDs for its text messaging service.

]]>Time Management for School Children: 5 Tactics for Busy Parentshttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/time-management-school-children-5-tactics-busy-parents
Wed, 10 Jan 2018 11:02:42 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3438How Can Parents with School Children Improve their Time Management

Parents often complain that they don’t have time for anything else apart from work and kids. Indeed, raising kids and working in this individualised world is demanding.

If you want to run a lucrative career and give your children proper upbringing, efficient time management is a big must. By this we don’t mean only your own time organisation, but the one of your child(ren), as well. We’ve done some research on this topic, to help our readers and their children organise their time. The result are these five handpicked tactics.

1. Put a family calendar to practice

It’s extremely important to generate the feeling of togetherness with your children. When they realize that you all form one inseparable unit, they’ll be more than happy to follow your guidance through their duties.

One of the most efficient ways to give your children that sense of belonging to your family is to start using a family calendar. It can be an ordinary calendar where you’re going to write down the weekly and monthly duties for every family member.

What’s more, you can also download one of numerous ready-made family calendar templates, like the ones available on Pinterest. Include all your common family events, as well as your children’s school duties and your personal errands in that calendar. That way, the kids will know that they’re equal members to your household, plus, they’ll see how you organise your time.

2. Create a fixed daily schedule

Recent psychological research has shown that children need structure more than affection. Of course, in an ideal world, both these features are important for proper child’s development. However, due to the up-tempo lifestyle most of us lead nowadays, sometimes we don’t have enough time for too much affection. This is where structure is extremely important. What you can do here is offer your children a firm daily schedule.

For starters, set a strict bedtime routine. It will depend on your own work schedule, but it’s essential to put your kids to bed at the right time. The experts from the WebMD website claim that school children aged 7-12 need between 11 and 12 hours of sleep per night.

So, it sounds logical to put your children to bed between 8 and 9 pm.

Still, individual preferences might differ, so don’t force your kid to go to bed at that time if you see that they prefer going to bed a bit earlier or later. What you should bear in mind, however, is that once you find the right bedtime, you should always stick to it, no matter what.

In addition to the right bed time, make sure that they have a proper routine when getting up. Ideally, this routine should be the same regardless of the shift they’re attending that week or month at school.

By establishing this firm daily schedule, you’ll enable your kid to organise all other duties they might have around those fixed ones.

3. Help your child stay organised

Children need to carry a lot of things to school. While in some states and countries children keep all their books and other thing in their school lockers, some kids need to carry their things home and to school.

Because of that, you should help your kid organise their school things.

First and foremost, they need a proper dresser or a chest of drawers. Each drawer or element should be marked with a certain post-it note, so that your child knows what they should keep in which of them. This is what a parent should do – simply show your kid how to form a structure. After that, your child will just follow the pattern you’ve established.

Another benefit of properly organised school things is that your kid will be more efficient with studying.

Also, ask your kid at the end of the day if they’ve prepared everything for the next school day. However, don’t do that instead of them, but let them do their share of work on their own.

4. Help them with learning

This subject usually divides parents in two opposing trenches. One group thinks that children should learn on their own from day one, which will prepare them well for real life. The other group advocates studying with kids.

There’s no simple resolution of this issue.

What we can recommend is to keep a close eye on your kid and adjust to children’s current needs.

Some kids accept the models they’re offered in their education and manage to fit into those patterns. If you’re raising such a kid, it’s highly likely that you won’t need to spend too much time doing homework with them. While these kids seem more self-reliant, they’re often just more adaptable to their surroundings.

As opposed to them, some kids show more individualistic characteristics. Because of that, they often refuse to fit into the existing school models. If you notice that your kid needs a different approach, don’t try to squeeze them into the shapes don’t like. If possible, spend some time with them and help them apply their learning style to their school duties.

On the other hand, if you don’t have enough time for that, you can your kid’s school teachers for advice or turn to a private tutor to help your child study. Sometimes they’ll just need a small nudge to boost their self-confidence and continue to study on their own.

5. Loosen the ties at the weekend

While it’s important to stick to strict time management rules during the work/school week, you can loosen the ties a bit at the weekend. Again, you’re the one who is setting the rules and role models for your child. Since parents use weekends to have some rest and relax, children should be allowed to do the same during that part of the week.

In line with that, let your children stay awake a bit longer at the weekend. Still, don’t overdo with that, because they still need the aforementioned structure.

Moreover, allow them to sleep longer on Saturdays and Sundays, especially if you also indulge in that weekend benefit. This little treat will make them proud, since they’ll do the same thing as their parents.

Also, the weekend is the perfect time for you to spend more time with your children. Therefore, include your kid in some interesting things you do, such as shopping or cooking, or spend your weekend doing some family-bonding activities.

Giving your children some simple responsibilities will help them build their self-confidence. But let them choose what they’d like to do with you and when they’d rather spend some time playing or doing something they don’t do during work days.

Children need to learn that time is an important concept in this world. Parents play an important role in setting an example to their children when it comes to time management.

However, don’t fall into the trap of doing things instead of your children. In this time-management play, your role should be that of a supervisor and a director, rather than a performer. By doing so, you’ll help your children become efficient and well-organised individuals.

Anne Harris is an HR specialist working for londongoverness.com. She recruits nannies, governesses and other childcare professionals, ensuring top-notch services for parents worldwide. In her free time she likes reading about education, and children’s welfare, as well as visiting sports events.

]]>How to Celebrate Christmas with Your Grandparentshttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/celebrate-christmas-grandparents
Tue, 19 Dec 2017 10:30:14 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3434The Christmas bells have already started ringing and we can hardly be calm as it is time to trim the Christmas tree, hang the wind chimes and rev up the cookie recipes. After all, the Christmas and New Year both call for grand celebrations.

But this is also the time for the reuniting with our extended family. You should give your parents and in laws a chance to come together with your kids on this occasion. So here are some fun ways that can actually help the grandparents and their grandkids to intermingle with each other and have a blast.

Try to Invite Grandparents to the School Play

A classic grandparent entertainment package happens to be the holiday plays at school. Make them the VIP guests of your kids’ school performance. You can make an afternoon or an evening out of it by offering a ride to the restaurant or your home for celebrating the holiday season and the star performer. You should also make it a point to click photographs or record the entire event so that the grand parents who could not turn up can also get to see the videos and those who did attend can save it for future memory.

A Special Craft should be Shared

You can actually spare a long afternoon for the grandparents to teach the grand children one particular skill that they master in. Suppose that the grandfather knows how to cook or do woodwork and the grandmother knows how to crochet or knit. They can pass on their respective expertise to their grandchildren – a task that everyone loves doing.

Involve Them in Charity Work

There is nothing so great than to teach the kids the joy of sharing. You can let the grandparents help and direct your kids to pick up the toys and to donate to those kids who need them. There can be donation boxes in your area that you may have noticed. If not then you can search the website and lookout for local sites where they can go out and standby the kids in need.

Ask Them to Write Poems Together

One of the best gifts for Christmas is to write a poem for someone. So you can ask the grandparents to sit down with the kids and make them write a poem together. It is one of those tasks that all of them will just enjoy performing. Since most of the grandparents stay away the grandkids can learn to write poems all by themselves and send them to their grandparents even if they are unable to turn up every year.

Cookie Time

You can always go ahead and make the children cook up cookies with the grandparents. This is one tradition that is cherished by everyone. You can go for one of the traditional recipes or can create some gingerbread boys and girls. This way you can get a gala time for preparing the cookies and smacking your lips.

The above are some of the ways suggested by the reputed party planning company for celebrating Christmas bringing together your extended family and giving both the grandparents and the grandkids a great Christmas that they will all remember for all the good reasons.

Akshay Sharma is a digital marketing enthusiast and has written many topics in the related field. He works with Wonderland Agency, which is one of the best party planning company in the UK.

]]>A Guide for UK Families on What Will Happen in the Aftermath of a Hard Brexithttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/guide-uk-families-what-will-happen-aftermath-hard-brexit
Thu, 14 Dec 2017 11:40:44 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3429The UK decision to leave the European Union last June is continuing to affect families and businesses across the country. The main cause of concern for many is that the final exit deal is still being decided. With no end in sight it is becoming more likely that the UK will follow a hard Brexit when it leaves the EU. With the average annual salary in the UK at £27,600 in 2015, we look at the consequences of a hard Brexit on families.

The EU referendum vote in 2016 sent shockwaves across the financial sector. Immediately after the vote, the sterling declined by 10% against the dollar. Its value fell to a 31-year low on currency markets, and was recorded to be the biggest one-day loss in the history of the currency.

For UK-based families, Brexit’s initial effects could be felt in the country’s workforce. The Verdict reported that because of the EU referendum vote, some of the country’s major international firms are moving out of the UK. This in turn would leave locals with less options in choosing a career path to support their families. Some of the companies that will exit the UK are Deutsche Bank, Barclays, Microsoft, Lloyd’s of London, Diageo, and several gaming companies. If a hard Brexit does happen more companies will either follow suit or be forced to close down.

Apart from fewer job options, economists foresee that things will get worse if the UK government opts for a hard Brexit over a soft Brexit. FXCM state that by following the hard Brexit option the country will leave the Single Market and remove itself from the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. Below are some possible scenarios that a hard Brexit would bring.

Energy prices will be much higher

Energy prices already increased to a 9-month high last year due to Brexit. The country’s gas and power industries have been affected by heavy infrastructure maintenance and unplanned shutdowns. The price of gas increased by 29pc over the second quarter of last year, while wholesale electricity prices by 25pc.

“UK energy prices were boosted early in the quarter with supply concerns for both gas and power, and rose further towards the end of the quarter with shifting sentiment over the EU referendum,” states the ICIS’ 2016 report.

Energy prices, of course, may worsen during a hard Brexit because infrastructure maintenance would be higher due to a weaker sterling.

Retail prices will climb further

Already, there is evidence that large and small retailers have been passing the extra costs onto consumers. Apple raised the prices of its gadgets, while Toblerone made its chocolates smaller in order to offset costs.

More restaurants will close down

The same Independent article reported that 20% of UK-based restaurants are at risk of bankruptcy. That’s 14,800 less choices for families when eating out. If a hard Brexit happens, the number of restaurants at risk of closure may increase.

The decline of the sterling’s value is to blame for the impending bust of restaurants, with the rising cost of imports draining the restaurants’ revenues. In addition, the national government’s decision to increase the National Living Wage to £7.50 for workers aged 25 and up, also added pressure to restaurants that are trying hard to make ends meet.

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was one of the first entrepreneurs to experience Brexit’s effects when he closed down 6 of his Italian restaurants in the UK. The uncertainty brought about by Brexit, along with price increase of some of the ingredients that he buys in Italy, were the reasons for the closure of his businesses.

Travelling won’t be as cheap

A hard Brexit will also make things harder for UK families going on a holiday. Airlines that capitalise on the open skies arrangement between EU member states will most likely be affected by it. One way this will affect travellers is that airlines may have to charge higher prices for UK citizens as they will not be covered by the arrangement.

In addition, extra travel documents from UK citizens that weren’t needed before may be asked by EU-member states. Acquiring additional documents will in turn add extra cost to travelling.

Lower purchasing power

The price of the sterling was valued at £1.12 against the dollar before Brexit. However, after the vote, the currency has been on a downward spiral, depreciating by 13.24% just a month after the vote.

Today, the sterling is recovering quite nicely, with a £1.33 value against the dollar. This correction, however, may be short lived if the UK government chooses a hard Brexit. With higher taxes on imports and travel, as well as a poor sentiment among investors towards the sterling, the UK’s currency may break its record of an all-time low in 2019. Currently every government announcement that hints at a soft exit increases the value of the sterling, while indications that the UK will leave without a deal causes the value to drop.

The uncertainty that Brexit brings to British citizens is worrisome. A soft Brexit seems to be the more appealing choice for those who want to keep the cost of living in the country low. However, should a hard Brexit happen, families must brace themselves for higher expenses and they will have to adjust their way of living.

]]>Surviving Christmas as a single parenthttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/surviving-christmas-single-parent
Wed, 13 Dec 2017 12:18:21 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3418Christmas inherently brings with it a unique set of seasonal pressures for any parent; as we battle the high streets to track down perfect presents, slave over a delicious roast dinner and decorate our home to such an extent that it resembles nothing short of a decadent Winter Wonderland! Of course, this is all in the hope that we will fulfil the iconic, faultless stereotype surrounding Christmas day.

However, the intense burden of responsibility with regards to curating such an event for our children, certainly proves to be testing for even the most organised of individuals. Although, for single parents, additional difficulties also inevitably materialise; as those stresses which would ideally be shared fall solely into the laps of one anxiety-stricken parent.

Unsurprisingly, MIND have reported that 76% of people experience difficulty sleeping at Christmas, whilst 60% confess to suffering from panic attacks. Of the reasons attributed to this unfortunate occurrence, many suggested that Christmas-related stress played a prominent role. This highlights the importance in alleviating the heightened stress single-parents typically find themselves faced with during this festive period, helping them to feel better supported and more able to find joy in the day themselves.

To help single parents reduce stress this Christmas, Ben Edwards, a trained life coach and motivational speaker, outlines several recommendations for making the festive season a worry-free occasion:

1. Make exciting arrangements & accept help

For single parents, an indisputable struggle surrounding the festive period is feeling alone—particularly if your circumstances have only recently changed—as the responsibility to create a seamlessly happy day for your children can no longer be shared with a partner.

To ease this pressure, contact friends and family; organise visits or trips to make the day more exciting for all of you. Spending quality time with loved ones will allow you to relax yourself and provides an opportunity for adult conversation and overdue catch ups.

Similarly, accept any help that may be generously offered. If your friends and family wish to be there for you over the festive period, let them; this will strengthen your sense of connectedness as we welcome the New Year and will prevent you from feeling isolated.

2. Abandon expectations

Christmas celebrations inevitably vary vastly between families; the possibilities with regards to how this day can be enjoyed are endless, so do not feel pressured to adhere with stereotypes which no longer suit your family dynamic.

If you don’t have the time or energy to spend hours cooking a roast dinner and would rather—deservedly—enjoy the days’ merriment, indulge in a takeaway or your children’s favourite meal, even if it’s ice cream!

Similarly, don’t fear change; being open to new things allows you to start new traditions which will strengthen the different, special bond with your children. Being unable to provide a mountain of gifts does not spell disaster; instead this can be an invaluable grounding lesson. Having to go back to basics might just prove to be a blessing in disguise – reinstating what truly matters at Christmas!

3. Indulge in quality time for yourself

Allow yourself to enjoy the build-up to Christmas as well as the day itself. Ensure you start preparations early in order to prevent unnecessary last-minute panic – and take time to relax. Your children will be more inclined to enjoy the day, and your company, if you are not exhausted and stressed. When they are at school, indulge in a mince pie and hot chocolate with friends, and take advantage of online shopping!

]]>Starting School: How to help your child settle in on their first dayhttps://familyrelationships.org.uk/starting-school-help-your-child-settle-first-day
Fri, 01 Sep 2017 13:51:14 +0000https://familyrelationships.org.uk/?p=3412This is a guest post by Ryan Lowe, Clinical Director at The Therapeutic Consultants.

In this country we start children at school very early in comparison to many other countries. By itself this isn’t a problem, but we also don’t pay much attention to helping children settle in to new settings and learn to feel safe in large, unfamiliar groups. Children have very strong survival instincts, and at this age their instinct tells them to keep close to the carer they trust as they know they are not big and strong enough to look after themselves in a situation of danger. So when we then take children to a school they are unfamiliar with and ask them to stay with people they have never met, these instincts come in to play and they can cling to us rather than be happy to let us go.

The first thing of huge importance is preparation. It’s important to talk to your child a lot about the new school in a very casual and matter of fact way. If you are driving past the new route you will take to school then point out the road you will walk down. If you are arranging activities then talk about what time you will pick them up from school, or how tired they might be on the first week while they get used to it.

Children will definitely take their cues from the parents. The same instincts which make them cling will cause them to look to parents and closely read their faces if they sense danger, so the way you talk about school will make a difference. Many parents feel sad and anxious about leaving their child at school for the first time and that is really understandable. If you feel this way then it is important to talk to your child about it as they will read it in your tone or voice or expression anyway. It’s better to have it out in the open and then perhaps they can talk to you about their own worries too.

However, by the time the first day of school comes it is essential to have worked these things out for yourself and your child and be able to start with confidence. As I mentioned, your child will take cues from you; if you are wavering or anxious they will think there is a reason to be scared, and when you are scared you should definitely cling to your parent. At this point you need to be strong and give your child the gift of your strength. As long as your child is relatively emotionally stable and healthy they will be fine at school and your confidence will help them know this.

If you feel that your child isn’t going to manage for any reason—there has been a trauma in the family or they are particularly anxious—then this is something to discuss with the school beforehand and put a plan in place with the teachers. It may also be helpful to speak to a professional about it so you can feel confident that whatever your plan is, it is a solid one that’s right for your child. If you are clear that the plan you have is good then you can help them carry it out with confidence. If you are wavering then your child will sense it and cling to you all the more tightly.

The last thing to bear in mind is that school can be a wonderful and exciting place for children to make social links and become part of a wider social community in which they foster their strengths and learn about themselves. If you can help them start with confidence it’s a great beginning to their journey of discovering the wider world.